Forbidden Hunger by R.L. Kenderson

Seven

Siya had refusedto leave with him. Ram was still wearing down the enamel on his teeth as he waited for the infuriating human to get off of work.

When he’d told her it was time to leave—for her safety—she had lifted her nose up at him, spun around, and walked back toward the hospital.

He’d been ready to go after her, but Vance had shaken his head.

“She’s safer here, surrounded by all these people and security, than her own home. It will give her time to come to terms with what happened and that she’s in danger. We don’t want to force her if we don’t have to.”

Vance might not want to force her, but Ram did. Siya was no match for a shifter, especially one like Monica. The female was most likely desperate now that she and her criminal activities had been exposed.

Which was why Siya needed to get off work, so he could take her to his home, where she’d be the safest.

He’d spent the last few hours patrolling the outside of the hospital for the most part. He’d gone inside a few times, but he hadn’t wanted to alarm security by having a strange, large man walking around, not visiting anyone.

But it was finally time for Siya to get off work, so he lingered by the door. He gave her a few minutes to clock out and say good-bye to coworkers, but after ten minutes, he was tired of waiting and headed to the ER registration desk.

The lady behind the counter looked up at him and swallowed.

He forced a smile so as not to scare the woman and asked, “I am supposed to be picking up my friend.”

“Is she a patient?”

“No, she’s a nurse, and she’s working in the ER tonight.”

The nurse picked up her phone. “What is her name? I’ll call back there.”

“Siya Patel.” Ram nodded once. “Thank you.”

He stepped away from the counter, so the woman could make her phone call without him hovering over her. But as soon as she hung up, he moved right back up.

The lady was frowning, and before she opened her mouth, he knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to say.

“I’m sorry, sir, but Siya left early, hours ago. Maybe she forgot to tell you?”

Ram ground his teeth together. “She must have.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks,” he muttered as he pulled his phone from his jeans and headed for his car. He dialed Saxon’s number.

“Everything going okay?” Saxon said without a hello.

“I need to speak to Demi.”

A pause.

“No.”

“Saxon, I do not want your mate. I just need to speak to her.”

The cat-shifter sighed, and Ram heard him tell Demi that he wanted to talk to her.

“Hello?”

“Demi, I need Siya’s phone number.”

“Why?”

“What is it with you and your mate? Why can’t either of you just do what I ask?”

“Technically, you commanded.”

He groaned in frustration. “Fine. Can I please have Siya’s phone number?”

“Yes.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “I’ll text it to you.”

“Thank you.”

“But she should be off work now. Why do you need her number?”

Ram hung up the phone without answering even though he was risking Demi not following through on her word.

A few seconds later, his phone beeped.

Saxon: 651-555-3633

Saxon: Asshole.

Ram smiled and wondered which one of them had sent that. It could have been either Saxon or Demi.

Ram: Thanks.

He added Siya to his phone and called her.

He wasn’t surprised it went to voice mail.

She was in so much trouble.

* * *

Siya tried to ignore whatever it was that was pulling her from her slumber. She had been lucky enough to get off of work early, but it had taken her some time to fall asleep. First, she’d had to convince herself that Ram wasn’t coming to her house. Then, she’d had to convince herself that Monica wasn’t coming to her house. And then she’d had to tell herself to shut up because if she was scared of Monica, then Ram was right to want to keep her safe.

It was a good thing her brain had put her to sleep, so she wouldn’t have to listen to her wild thoughts anymore.

And now, something was trying to steal the peaceful bliss from her. It was probably her bladder, and she was going to have a strong talking-to with her kidneys when she woke up.

She didn’t know what had bothered her before, but the feeling of a heavy weight dipping her mattress fully woke her.

Her eyes popped open, and then she froze. Her room was still dark, and all she could make out was a figure sitting next to her.

Monica found me. She’s going to kill me for telling the shifters she was at the hospital.

“Relax. It’s me.”

Every muscle in her body unclenched, and air whooshed out of her lungs.

“You scared me,” she told Ram.

“I called your name several times.”

She rolled away from him. “I was sleeping. Duh.”

“Yeah, and I was able to get into your house without any trouble. I could have been someone else.”

A cold chill ran down her spine. Even though she had panicked about Monica, the reality that Ram had broken into her house without any trouble registered heavily.

“How did you get in?”

“That’s not important. The important part is, I did.”

She hated that he was right.

“And that’s why you need to come with me.”

Siya knew she would be safer with the cat-shifters, but she didn’t want to be around Ram.

When she had met him, he had taken the responsibility of protecting her, and she’d thought they had become friends. No, that wasn’t quite right. She had thought they were becoming more than friends. He was the one who had brought up having sex with her sometime in the future.

Yet when she had tried to kiss him, he had pushed her away. Then, just an hour or so later, she had seen him being intimate with another woman.

Not only had he led her on, but then he hadn’t even been nice enough to tell her he had changed his mind and was no longer interested. She’d had to catch him with someone else. She often wondered if she had caught him or if she had “caught” him. Because if he’d done it just to send her a message, he was an even bigger jerk than she’d originally thought.

Demi had pointed out that at least she hadn’t slept with him before she found out he was an ass. She supposed her friend was right, except she hadn’t had sex in way too long.

She looked over her shoulder at Ram now that her eyes had adjusted to being open. He was sexy and brooding, and Demi was right. If they’d screwed and he’d done what he did, she would have been more embarrassed to be around him.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she told Ram. “Can’t Demi just come and stay with me?”

“Demi isn’t a sentinel. So, no, she cannot be the one to protect you.”

Siya turned away again with a sigh. “Then, I guess I’ll stay here alone. Thank you for your concern, and have a nice day. I want to go back to sleep.”

“You are not staying here alone,” he roared.

Because she knew it would piss him off, she looked at him again and yawned. “I didn’t know you cared so much.”

Sure, she knew that Ram didn’t want her to die, but he didn’t want anyone to die. Not any of the good guys anyway. But why he had taken it upon himself to try and get her to come with him, she didn’t understand.

“Listen, I am about through with being patient with you. You have two choices. Either you come with me now or I drink your blood in order to keep tabs on you.”

Eek. She cringed. Neither sounded good. She didn’t want to stay at the place he lived, having to see him every day. But on the other hand, having him drink her blood would be too intimate. She couldn’t do that again. On the plus side, Demi lived where Ram did. And now, with them having extra rooms, she wouldn’t have to stay with Ram.

“Fine. I’ll go with you.” She flung back her covers. “But I want you to know I’m doing it begrudgingly.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck if you do it with the intention of murdering me. At least you’ll be safe.”

She turned away from him and curled her lip. “Don’t tempt me,” she muttered.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“That’s what I thought.”

She spun around. “I hope your dick gets gangrene and falls off.”

Ram threw his head back and laughed. “No, you don’t,” he said as if it were obvious. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to properly fuck you.”